Tufting attachment for sewing machines



May 30, 1939. w. F. SCHMIEDEL 2,160,094

7 TUF'IING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES I Filed 0ct. s', 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y w. F. SCHMIEDEL 2,160,094

TUFTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I I9 .L p @W I f 4 .-l

a 3 i s Jill I Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HINES William F. Schmiedcl, Oshkosh, 'Wis., assignor to Deltox Rug Company, Oshkosh, Wis; a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 6,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tufting attachments for sewing machines.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a tufting attachment adaptable to a standard form of sewing machine and requiring relatively little modification of the sewing machine proper.

A further' object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment of the character described wherein the looper receives its reciprocatory motion directly from the main drive of the sewing machine, while the cutting instrumentality receives its power from an independent source, thereby relieving the main drive of the machine of an undue operating load and strain;

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment of the character described which can be arranged for use with either a single or a multiple needle sewing machine.

Heretofore, it has been customary to provide sewing machine tufting attachments wherein the loops were cut by either a reciprocating knife blade, or by a revolving cutter disc. This invention is concerned with a tufting attachment employing the latter form of cutter 'butembodied in a construction which is an improvement over and eliminates certain disadvantages inherent in the known forms of tufting attachments employing revolving cutter discs.

In the known forms of sewing machine tufting attachments provided with revolving cutter discs, of which U. S. Patent No. 1,924,715 to Farrell is a good example, the loops of yarn or thread are brought into engagement with a peripheral portion of the circular knife by means of a reciprocating looper. In a construction of this type, in order to present a taut extent of a loop to the knife, the looper is longitudinally slotted, with the knife adapted to enter into the slot and to engage the yarn extended across the slot thereof.

In tufting attachments employing slotted loopers, difiiculties have heretofore been encountered because said loops, being closed at an end, collect lint and dirt and ultimately the effective operation of the machine is seriously impaired. Also, slotted loopers are diflicult and expensive to manufacture and the looper is not strong because of the longitudinal slot in its body.

The present invention aims at the provision of a rotary cutter tufting attachment wherein.

all of the aforementioned objections and difliculties are eliminated and overcome by virtue of a novel construction whereby a slotted looper is not required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary cutter tufting attachment utilizing a solid looper and sheath arrangement whereby friction on the rotary cutter is minimized as is clogging of the yarn, the resulting yarn piles are 1938, Serial No. 233,530

even and uniform, the mechanism is open and clear to facilitate adjustments, the looper is simple and strong and thin for easy entrance into the formed loops, and the yarn is held in a manner so as to simplify the cutting operation and to furthermore relieve strain or pull on the fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine tufting attachment of the class described wherein the cutter is mounted on a relatively fixed axis and wherein the cutter is removable without changing or losing the original and proper adjustment or positioning of the cutter relative to the work and the cooperating elements of the mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines wherein the cutter is susceptible of adjustment in all directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment for sewing machines wherein a ieciprocatory looper successively carries loops over and about a fixed sheath or loop transfer guide whereon the loops are held for cutting by a circular cutter operating between surfaces of the movable looper and the fixed guide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tufting attachment wherein the looper is adjustable so that different height piles may be obtained in the tufted fabric produced on the sewing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the class described wherein a previously formed and engaged loop is transferred by the looper onto the fixed sheath or transfer guide for severance prior to a movement of the looper to engage another loop.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. tufting attachment for sewing machines which same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary end elevation of a sewing machine showing the improved tufting mechanism incorporated therein, portions of the machine being broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary end elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing a different position of the needle and looper from that-disclosed in Fig. 1, during the formation of a loop and severance of a previously rormed loop;

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 only showing the position of the needle and the looper at another stage in the sequence of operation of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the end portion of the sewing machine and the tufting mechanism incorporated therewith;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the tufting mechanism and adjacent structure indicated on line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Fig. 1 and on a larger scale.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that the sewing machine, with which the improved tufting mechanism is incorporated, includes a base portion In which has mounted longitudinally therebelow, in suitable bearings, an oscillatory drive shaft ll. Said drive shaft receives its motion in the usual manner common to sewing machines of the type shown.

Above the forward end of the base In there are mounted the usual vertical feeding foot and needle carrying rods designated by the numerals l2, l3 and I4 respectively. In the particular exemplification of the invention illustrated, the sewing machine operates a single needle I5 and said needle is depended from a bracket at the lower end of the rod I4. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be restricted to any particular number of needles employed by the sewing machine, as it is possible to utilize any number of needles within certain ranges, and in the latter event, the looping and. cutting mechanism, later to be described, will be suited in numbers to the number of needles employed.

The rod l2 carries an outer bifurcated element N5 of an improved feeding foot, while the rod [3 carries an inner foot element 11. The rod l2 merely reciprocates vertically so that the element I6 is elevated from and releases the work or fabric I8 at a time when the foot element I1 is engaged with the fabric and moving to advance the fabric. Conventional means are employed for reciprocating the rod I2 and jointly reciprocating and laterally swinging the rods l3 and 14, the latter rods being engaged in a slide block IS. The movement of the rods l3 and I4 is such that they reciprocate vertically and swing laterally on a long radius, resulting in a movement of the needle l5 in a substantially orbital path. The foot element I6 raises and lowers with respect to the fabric and also moves horizontally relative to the outer element IS. The movement of the needle is of course through and relative to a slot 20 in a work supporting plate 2|.

Disposed below the plate 2 I, transversely thereof and adjacent the needle slot 20, is a supporting bracket 22. Within the slot of said bracket a plate 23 is slidably mounted. One end portion of said plate has longitudinally and vertically adjustably secured thereto the vertical flange of a right angular looper bracket 24. On the top flange of said looper bracket an end of a looper member 25 is adjustably secured. The looper member, toward its free end is reduced and offset from the face of the bracket 22. The extremity of the looper arm or shank is rounded outwardly and downwardlv to form a hook and said hooked portion is shouldered, as at 26.

Cooperating with the looper and adapted to sheath or enclose top and side portions of the looper shank, is a fixed or stationary sheath or loop transfer guide 21. As best shown in Fig. 6, said sheath shank portion is of substantially right angular form in vertical transverse section, comprising a vertical side wall outwardly of and slightly spaced from the outer face of the looper, and a slightly rounded top wall covering top portions of the looper. The top wall, at its free extremity is beveled and tapered so as to guide loops onto the sheath from the looper. The sheath shank is positioned slightly angularly relative to the looper arm, as shown in Fig. 5, and the inner end portion of the sheath is angled and it is adjustably secured to a vertical face portion of a bracket 28. The bracket is depended from a portion of the sewing machine base l0.

As previously mentioned, the drive shaft I I has an oscillatory movement imparted thereto. The end of said shaft ll adjacent the looper mechanism has fast thereon a wheel 29. A block 30 is pivotally secured to the other face of said wheel in an off center relationship. Said block, while being free to move on its pivot 3|, is slidably confined within a vertical slot 32 in arear extension of the looper slidable plate 23. Through this connection, therefore, oscillatory movement of the shaft II is translated into reciprocatory movement imparted to the plate 23, which plate, carrying the bracket 24 and looper 25, causes said looper to move back and forth adjacent the needle l5 and in a telescopic relation relative to the sheath or loop transfer guide 21.

Extending longitudinally of an end portion of the base l0 and below the same, is a cutter drive shaft 33 which is rotatably housed within a supported sleeve 34'. The end of said shaft adjacent the needle equipped end of the sewing machine has fast thereon a pulley wheel 35 engaged by a belt 36 extending to a suitable source of power (not shown). On the inner end portion of the shaft 33 and positioned so that its upper peripheral portions will lodge within the space between the outer vertical face portion of the looper 25 and the vertical flange of the sheath 21, is a circular or disc revolving cutter 36. The intermediate portion of the sleeve 34 and said cutter shaft is longitudinally adjustably embraced by the U-shaped end portion 3'! and a clamping bracket 38 at the free end of an adjustable arm 39. Normally the sleeve 34 is maintained firmly within said end portion 31 of the arm 39 by the clamping bracket 38. However,

when said bracket is released, the sleeve, with the shaft 33 therein and the cutter 36 on the end of the shaft, may be moved or adjusted slightly longitudinally to provide for minute adjustments of the cutter and to insure proper alinement of the samewith the space between the inner side face of the sheath 21 and the adjacent face of the looper 25.

Depending from the base I0 is a lug or boss 40. This lug or boss is engaged by the opposite end portion of the arm 39, which portion of the arm is provided with an elongated slot 4| through which the flattened portion of 5, bolt 42 extends. The bolt also extends through the boss or lug 40 and has a nut threaded onto its outer end. When the bolt is loosened, the entire arm 39 and parts carried thereby including the cutter shaft 33 and the cutter 36, may be swung arcuately in a vertical plane. This. permits adjustment of the cutters upwardly or downwardly relative to the ill looper, the sheath, and the work. Also, by virtue of the slot 4|,the arm 39 may be shifted longitudinally, and this will advance or withdraw the periphery of the cutter relative to the looper and sheath and provides for another desirable form of adjustment.

The piece of fabric iii of a predetermined size to form a rug, is positioned on the base l and on the work supporting plate 2|, and the strand of yarn 43, or other material to be used, is thread; ed through the needle l5. When the yarn is sewed through the material, a line of loop stitching is formed and the loops'thereof are cut by the improved mechanism to form the pile of the rug.

The-outer free end of the looper is beveled, as

best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to permit easy entrance of the same between the side of the needle and the strands in forming the loops, and the shoulder 26 at the outer end of the looper, prevents the loops from slipping off when the looper is reciprocated to the left relative to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or toward the cutter.

In operation, the needle l5 having the strand 43 threaded therethrough reciprocates downwardly through the fabric and through the needle slot of the plate 2|. As previously mentioned, the needle, during reciprocation, describes a substantially orbital path. The upward movement of the needle will cause the yarn to slacken, and at the same time, the looper plate, carrying the looper, will move forwardly to cause the shouldered end of the looper to move between the strand and the needle to a point where the looper shoulder 26 has passed beyond the strand. While the needle is in a lowered position, through the fabric, the foot element l6 raises from the fabric, whereas the feeding element I'I engages the fabric to move it somewhat rearwardly or transversely of the base of the machine. As the needle rises out of the fabric, the foot element l6 engages the fabric to hold it in position while the feeding element l1 raises from the fabric. Upon the upward movement of the needle,.the looper is at its furtherest position of advancement, but as the needle commences to descend and to describe an orbital path in a clock-wise direction relative to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the looper moves to the left whereby cutting action takes place with the needle relatively close to the cutter and without the impositionof an undesirable pull or strain on the yarn and on the fabric.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated the needle in its uppermost position with the looper in its forwardmost position. At this stage, a previously formed loop has been forced rearwardly on the looper,

and another loop is engaged on the looper adjacent the shoulder 26. As the needle moves downwardly, the looper is reciprocated rearwardly or to the left in the drawings into the sheath or I transfer guide 21 and toward the revolving cutter 36 until it reaches a point where the innermost previously formed loop is engaged and severed by the cutter, as shown in Fig. 2, the last formed loop however being maintained intact. For'this latter operation it will be noted that the retrac tion of the looper caused the innermost loop to move onto and about the sheath or transfer guide 21, and the lower extent of this loop is carried across the open bottom of the sheath and across the space in which the revolving cutter 36 operates. After this operation, the needle continues its movement in an orbital path and furthermore moves upwardly while the looper reciprocates forwardly into a newly formed loop. The

loop last formed is engaged on the looper as in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the sequence of operations described is repeated, and it will be observed that only one loop in a row is severed at a time and the looper always has engaged thereon a later formed loop. The loop to be cut is actually transferred from the looper to the stationary sheath or loop transfer guide. Obviously, the cut loops form tufts on the fabric, and as the work progresses, said tufts move rearwardly in the elongated needle slot and are accommodated thereby. When the tufts reach the end of the needle slot, they are withdrawn therefrom by a rearward movement of the fabric.

With reference to the operation of themechanism, it should be observed that severance of a previously formed loop always takes place while the needle is in a down position. The needle is reciprocating toward the left, relative to the drawings at this stage, and this is the time at which the feeding of the fabric occurs, and hence the needle, in its orbital movement, actually cooperates with the feeding feet in advancingthe fabric, and this advancing of the fabric and severing of a loop occurs while the needle is through the fabric and also at a point when the looper has retracted toward the cutter. The needle and looper are therefore relatively close to the cutter when the cutting actionoccurs and during the period of advancement of the fabric. whereby there is no strain on the loops and furthermore no undue pull on the yarn such as would cause damage to the fabric or cause stitches of uneven length.

In the improved tufting mechanism the rotary cutter is driven by a separate source of power, and therefore the main drive of the sewing machine, which operates the looper, is not subjected to undue strain or overload. The rotary cutter may be continuously revolved "at a high rate of speed and does not dull quickly because different edge portions thereof are continuously presented to the work. As previously mentioned, all portions of the mechanism are susceptible of minute adjustments. The particular looper mechanism employed wherein a reciprocating looper actually transfers loops onto a fixed sheath, which sheath effectively holds the loop thereon for cutting operations, is highly advantageous and novel.

It will be further understood that a number of said tufting attachments may be mounted on the same sewing machine, and it is also obvious that the machine may be equipped with any number of needlesand a like number of cutters and loopers.

From the foregoing description it will be seen III that the improved tufting attachment is of simple and novel construction, and requires a minimum of modification to a standard sewing machine. and is well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a sewing machine tufting attachment, a stationary sheath having an open side, a looper reciprocatable telescopically relative to the interior of the sheath and having a portion thereof spaced from an inner wall portion of said sheath, and a cutter partly positioned in said space to sever a loop extended about the sheath and across the open side thereof. a

2. In a sewing machine tufting attachment, a stationary sheath having an open side, a looper reciprocatable telescopically relative to the interlor of the sheath and having a portion spaced a cutter partly positioned in said space to sever a loop extended around the sheath and across the open side thereof, the cutter being movable in said space from a fixed axis.

3. A tufting attachment, comprising a reciprocatable'needle, a stationary sheath open on one side, a looper reciprocatable at right angles to the direction of movement of the needle and into and out of said sheath, and a cutter having a portion thereof positioned between adjacent wall portions of the looper and sheath.

4. A tufting attachment, comprising a reciprocatable needle, a stationary sheath open on one side, a looper reciprocatable at right angles to the direction of movement of the needle and into and out of said sheath, a cutter having a portion thereof positioned between adjacent wall portions of the looper and sheath, said cutter having arcuate movement from a fixed center.

5. A tufting attachment, comprising a recipro-- catable needle, a stationary sheath open on one side, a looper reciprocatable at right angles to the direction of movement of the needle and into and out of said sheath, a cutter having a portion thereof positioned between adjacent wall portions of the looper and sheath, said cutter having arcuate movement from a fixed center, means to drive the cutter, and means to simultaneously reciprocate the needle and the looper.

6. A tufting attachment, compris ng a needle bar, a looper bar, said bars reciprocating in timed relation in planes approximately at right angles to each other, a looper carried by the looper bar, a stationary sheath within which the looper reciprocates, one side of the sheath being open and a space being provided between the sheath and the looper, a cutter positioned partly within said space and movable therein from a fixed axis, and means to drive the cutter.

7. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, a stationary sheath mounted below the fabric and having one side thereof open, a transversely reciprocal looper member positioned below the fabric within the sheath and movable telescopically relative thereto to engage the strand below the fabric and transfer earlier formed loops onto the sheath, a cutter extending into the open side of the sheath and operable to sever a loop transferred onto the sheath, and means for reciprocating the needle and the looper member.

8. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, a sheath fixedly mounted below the fabric and having an open side, a transversely reciprocal looper member positioned below the fabric within the sheath and movable telescopically relative thereto, said looper member having a shouldered arm which engages the strand to form loops below the fabric and transfers an innermost loop thereon to the sheath, the shoulder of the arm preventing rearward movement of the loops While being cut, a cutter extending into the open side of the sheath and operable to successively sever loops transferred onto the sheath to form pile members, and means for reciprocating the needle and the looper member.

9. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, a stationary sheath mounted below the fabric and having one side thereof open, a transversely reciprocal looper member positioned below the fabric within the'sheath and movable telescopically relative thereto to engage the strand below the fabric and transfer earlier formed loops onto the having one side thereof open, a transversely reciprocal looper member positioned below the fabric within the sheath and movable telescopically relative thereto to engage the strand below the fabric and successively transfer earlier formed loops onto the sheath, a cutter disc extending into the open side of the sheath and operable therein from a fixed axis to successively sever the loops transferred onto the sheath, and means for reciprocating the needle and the looper member.

11. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines having a penetrating a fabric an carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, a stationary sheath mounted below the fabric and having one side thereof open, a transversely reciprocal looper member positioned below the fabric within the sheath and movable telescopically relative thereto to engage the strand below the fabric and successively transfer earlier formed loops onto the sheath, a revoluble cutter disc extending into the open side of the sheath and operable therein from a fixed axis to successively sever the loops as they are transferred onto the sheath, means for jointly reciprocating the needle and the looper member in timed relation, and other means for revolving said cutter disc.

12. A tufting attachment mechanism for sewing machines'having a reciprocating needle for penetrating a fabric and carrying a strand which is passed through the fabric by the needle, comprising a stationary sheath mounted below the fabric and having one side thereof open, a transversely reciprocal frame positioned below the fabric and carrying a looper, the looper being positioned within the sheath and being movable telescopically relative thereto to engage the strand 4 below the fabric and successively transfer previously formed loops onto the sheath, a revoluble circular cutter mounted on a normally fixed axis in proximity to the looper and sheath, the cutter extending into the open side of the sheath and operable therein to sever a loop transferred onto the sheath, means for reciprocating the needle and the frame member, and means for revolving the cutter, the severance of a loop on the sheath by the cutter taking place during reciprocation of the frame toward the fixed axis of the cutter while another loop is engaged on the looper and while the needle is in a laterally reciprocated po-' sition relative to the cutter and sheath.

WILLIAM F. SCHMIEDEL.

eciprocating needle for 3' 

